Highlights

Rio Norte JHS
"(The special education program at Rio Norte) includes the resource program, SC pace curriculum, SC2 functional academics, SC5 functioning life skills, and SC8 servicing students with high functioning Autism. The Regionalized Special Education programs feature a push-in model peer tutoring program where general education students assist special education Students within the classroom. The Circle of Friends program is in development as a club starting the 2013 school year. In the regionalized programs, Students have access to functional electives including art, drama, and culinary arts to prepare for general education electives if appropriate. Programs include special events like an all-district special education track meet sponsored by Special Olympics, an SC2 soccer tournament and the SC8 annual district wide picnic at Hart Park. Students in special education at Rio Norte have opportunities to participate in Community Based Instruction that includes trips on the city bus using their Transportation Cards. These trips are teacher run and include to the Valencia Town Center, Target, Wal-Mart and other places around town to gain social experience, use planning skills and money skills.

Some students in the SC1 and Resource programs participate in a study skills elective where they work on advocacy skills, review core materials and practice organization. This 2012-2013 school year, various students from special education programs took a field trip to the California Science Center to support curriculum."
- Heather Cruz, SC8 Teacher and Elizabeth Meddaugh, 8th Grade Resource Specialist Teacher

Saugus HS
"(Special Education) at SHS has been involved in the following this year:
- COC Field trip for Seniors
- Basic English and Basic Science Field Trip to CA Science Center to see Hubble IMAX Movie and the Space Shuttle
- Career Visions Field Trip to Dodger Stadium for Career Exploration
- Pragmatic Social Awareness Group meeting at 8:55a.m. every (Wednesday) morning
- Large inclusion of SPED in the DFYit Program on Campus headed by SPED teacher (Drug Free Youth In Town)
- Safe School Ambassadors (SSA)- club led by SPED teacher with SPED students involved in letting students know they matter and focus on keeping campus safe for all.
- Group counseling period (SC3)- Led by DIS counselor (which) utilizes curriculum for transition/social skills/career readiness/communication/goal setting, etc."
- Beth Larsen, Resource Specialist Teacher

Sierra Vista JHS
"October 28, 2012 all day cross curricular Team Activity in the MPR. Students worded in different stations measuring items, conducting experiments, and English Language Arts (ELA) related activities.

February (2013) field trip to California Science Center

May (2013) field trip to College of the Canyons

Mr. Holsenbeck Math teacher, piloted netbooks in his classroom increasing students comfortability and familiarity with technology.

Ms. Brar, English teacher, worked with her students on the writing program My Access.
Mrs. Sandoval, Science teacher, worked with her classes on conducting experiments.

Spring 2013 it was announced that Sierra Vista is a California Distinguished School. As part of the application process, it was noted that the Special Education department raised its test scores." - Jennifer Jones, Resource Specialist Teacher

Hart HS
"Field Trips: Hart Park, Reagan Library, Gene Autry Museum, Museum of Tolerance, City Hall, Newhall Library, Shakesperience (English), Whale Watching, Bowling, and Ice Skating for (students in the SC3 program).
Field Trips (Career Related) ITT, UTI, Legacy Studios, Moorpark College, COC, North Valley Occupational Center.
Incentive Programs: Perfect Attendance and Report Card Award (food, movie tickets, certificates)." - Henry Reyes, Resource Specialist Teacher

La Mesa JHS
"We have focused on doing at least one My Access writing per quarter in each subject. As a department we have focused on Reflex Math; going in at least twice a week.

SC1 and RS, 7th grade: In addition to My Access and Reflex Math, science has been used not only for content information but for practice of reading strategies and comprehension. Science has produced an evolution dictionary.

SC1 and RS, 8th grade: In real time followed the presidential election and participated in a mock election. 8th grade Basic English has been working on an overall approach to reading/comprehension. Students have been learning how to use context clues by trying to decipher the meaning of selected vocabulary words presented in sentences. Students take turns reading the meaning of selected vocabulary words presented in sentences. Students take turns reading the story as a group and orally answering concrete and inferential questions. The students actively participate and compete to share their ideas about the meaning of the vocabulary words and their answers to the questions. It has been fun to see some of my quieter students become active in this. At the end of the story, they write a paragraph/essay in response to a prompt. Students first help each other with a thinking map in order to organize their thoughts for the essay.

The 8th grade SC1 and RS students attended a field trip to COC. This gave them an opportunity to explore career options that are offered at COC and to recognize the importance of planning for their future after high school.

SC2: In October (2012) we competed against the other SC2 classes in a Soccer Tournament and Track Meet. We participated in the Target Field Trip. Mr. Walsh came in once a week to enhance our social and over all people skills. So in English we have been working on asking questions and/or determining how people are feeling after reading a short paragraph. We have used Reflex Math on a regular basis and improved our fluency from 8% to 50% as a class. Several students have gone from 0-5% starting fluency to over 70%. While three students have achieved 100% fluency with add/sub and are now well on their way to multiplication fluency. We have quite the class competition going. The majority of the students have mastered different safety signs while having fun playing Safety Sign bingo. We are learning about money in groups, from just learning the coins and their values to being able to calculate and give the correct change. We are going this by role playing using a store with actual (empty) store items that have various prices on them. In Science we learned about different states of matter and then made ice cream and Olbleck, a lot of learning fun was had by all!

SC5: Edible play dough was made. They have been doing some cooking, learning how to play simple games and most of all, making friends with their peer tutors. The class also arranged for the Valentine Zoo visit.

SC7: Has focused on the Hidden Curriculum. They have designed menus then used them to compute prices, discounts, and taxes. They have also done a complete career search; including business letters, addressing envelops, completing job applications. This was finished with a trip to College of the Canyons.

SC8: Began the year with following the presidential conventions, debates and election. This was completed with an intense study of the constitution and its application today. They have also worked on career searches, job applications and a trip to Target and COC." - Terri Minch, SC8 Teacher